A personal air purifier

Name: AirTamer A302

What it is: An air purifier worn around the neck or clipped to a pocket that, the company says, creates a 3-foot radius of cleaner air around your head.

How it works: According to the company, AirTamer emits more than "2 million negative ions per cubic centimeter every second" from a small black brush at the tip of the unit, which negate "viruses, bacteria, pollen, dust, etc."

The good: Light (less than 2 ounces) and small (about 3 inches tall, an inch wide), it's relatively easy to transport. For all the disgusting, stale air filling airplanes, buses and airports, a little fresh air is always welcome, and though quiet, the machine emits tiny puffs of air that indicate the machine is doing something productive. With flu season getting cranked up, maybe this is a weapon to consider.

The bad: Well, you look kind of silly wearing this around your neck or, worse, letting it dangle from a pocket. Though not so heavy as to be an imposition, wearing it isn't terribly comfortable either. It's also tough to tell how effective it is. The guess is that different people will have varying judgments about how well it works.